Solihull

Solihull's population grew between the last two censuses. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure and marriage.

The population passed 200,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Solihull increased by 3.6%, from just under 200,000 to 207,000.

The addition of just under 7,200 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Solihull was home to, on average, 8.3 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Solihull

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Solihull increased by two years, from 40 to 42 years.

This affluent area had a higher average age than the West Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 5,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 6,000.

About 12% of people in Solihull are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Solihull by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Solihull

Solihull saw the West Midlands' third-largest fall in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (88%) in Solihull reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities, compared with 89% in 2001. The percentage who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.0% to 3.9%.

Across the region, only Herefordshire (from 90% to 89%) and Malvern Hills (from 89% to 87%) saw a greater decrease in the proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Solihull that rented privately increased from 4.2% to 9.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in seven (15%) households lived in social housing, compared with 16% in 2001. The percentage of Solihull households that owned their home decreased from 78% to 74%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.3% in 2001 to 14% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Solihull increased by 5.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Solihull, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of adults in Solihull that were married decreased from 57% to 52% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 25% in 2001. The percentage of adults in Solihull that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.1% to 10%.

The proportion of married people fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 52% in 2001 to 48% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 51% to 47%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Solihull residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.0% to 5.2% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71% in 2001. The percentage of Solihull residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Solihull decreased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Solihull, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of one-person households increased in Solihull at a faster rate than across the West Midlands.

In Solihull, the proportion of one-person households increased from 26% in 2001 to 29% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 29% to 30%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of one-person households increased from 29% to 30%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Solihull increased from 6.8% to 7.8%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 42% to 37%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Solihull working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 13% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 13% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Solihull decreased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Solihull, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Solihull

The number of people in Solihull that described themselves as Muslim increased from just over 1,600 in 2001 to just over 5,200 in 2011. This represents a change from 0.8% to 2.5% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 4.1% to 6.7%), but at a similar rate to the average across England (from 3.2% to 5.2%).

The number of people in Solihull that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 160,000 in 2001 to just under 140,000 in 2011 (from 78% to 66%). The number of people who described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 24,000 to just over 44,000 (from 12% to 21%).

Just over 13,000 people (6.7%) did not state their religion, similar to the amount in 2001 (which at the time represented 6.4% of the local population)

The population who identified as Muslim in Solihull increased by 1.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Solihull by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of unemployment

The percentage of Solihull residents that were unemployed increased from 3.0% to 4.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (55%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 56% in 2001. The percentage of Solihull residents that were self-employed increased from 8.0% to 9.2%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.8% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Solihull increased by 1.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Solihull, the West Midlands and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Solihull

The number of people in Solihull from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from about 1,900 in 2001 to about 3,200 in 2011. This represents a change from 1.0% to 1.6% of the local population.

The percentage increased at a similar rate to the average across the West Midlands (from 2.0% to 3.3%) and the average across England (from 2.4% to 3.6%).

The number of people in Solihull from the White ethnic groups decreased from about 190,000 in 2001 to just over 180,000 in 2011 (from 95% to 89%). The number of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 5,700 to just under 14,000 (from 2.9% to 6.6%).

About 4,400 people (1.3%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from about 2,600 in 2001 (2.1%).

The population from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups in Solihull remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Solihull by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Solihull with only adult children living with their parents increased from 11% to 12% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 32% in 2001. The percentage of households in Solihull without children increased from 57% to 58%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Solihull residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.4% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.9%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Solihull remained close to 1.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Solihull by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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